Saturday, June 16, 2012

So I am TERRIFIED of art journaling...I think. I guess I'm afraid of not doing it "right". I'm afraid of painting something ugly, or even painting something I like and then, one too many strokes later, screwing it up! But I am going to try. I am tired of being afraid. Which reminds me of my VERY first blog post over a year ago. I wonder if that fear ever goes away? Hmmm....

Below is my first art journal background attempt. Just like my cooking, it took FOREVER. Thanks to JournalArtista on youtube.com, I learned this really cool masking technique using Post-Its, and decided to give it a shot. I'm pretty pleased with it, even if I don't know what to write just yet. Materials I used on this one: Canson Mixed Media notebook, Liquitex gesso, Caran D'Ache Neocolor II wax pastels, and a stamp from Michaels. So, one journal page (almost) down, and now for the next blank page...

Monday, May 7, 2012

Okay, well, technically, I erased it. Weird, I know, but I saw it in a video. Cover the entire page with graphite, smudge it around on the page with a paper towel, then erase all of the light spots (and add in a few darks). About halfway into the first eye (which incidentally was my starting point) I started to think "oh, no...why did I think I could do this??" Barely into it, I began to doubt that I have the skills to complete a decent drawing! I mean why should I think that I can? I have no formal training! I'm a music teacher!! Still, I kept going. Lucky for her, I did, or she'd be a blob of graphite with one eye!

A couple of things I picked up from the experience:

1. Those insecure feelings will come. They always do. I've got a lot of unfinished projects that testify to this truth. Today, however, I have one drawing that emphatically shouts: "Keep drawing! It's totally worth it!"

2. It's really quite amazing what a little erasing can do. This drawing started as a dark, scary blob of graphite on a piece of paper. Perhaps a bit like my life...which often feels like a dark, scary blob of "what am I doing?" But what if the Lord is in the business of erasing? What if I can hang on just one more day, sit still, and let Him remove just one more bit of ugly? As a serious perfectionist, hell-bent on being flawless in my own power (read: exhausted), that actually sounds quite lovely. Man, am I glad I kept drawing!

Saturday, May 5, 2012

Since I'm a running a bit behind on this challenge, I thought I would post another face. Oil pastels again. I'm not usually a fan of being messy with my artwork (though I LOVE other artists' messy work...hmmm) but these have been fun. Scribble and smudge, and VOILA! Fancy face #2. Her eyes are a bit crossed, and I've noticed that it is HARD(!!) to get eyes to look alive. My girls look a bit spacey in the eyes. So, artist friends, if you have any tips to share, I'm listening.

So, obviously I've been a bit creatively stuck lately. Then yesterday I ran across this post at the Willowing blog, and decided that the 29 faces challenge might be JUST what I need to get jump started again. Armed with some oil pastels (Portfolio and Cray-pas) and a charcoal pencil, this is what I managed to come up with....and it was FUN! I needed some fun today. I'm pretty new at faces, so I was a little surprised that her eyes turned out okay! Yay, for small victories! Hope you enjoy the artwork, and feel free to join the challenge!